Drug Enforcement Administration

Waterbury Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Distributing Heroin

FEB 28 - HARTFORD, Conn. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England and Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Teddy Stuart Lopez, Jr., also known as “Chico” and “Junior,” 20, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.

According to court documents or statements made during court proceedings, on May 10, 2016, North Haven Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an unresponsive man on the Hartford Turnpike in North Haven. The 23-year-old man was transported to the hospital where he later died. The victim’s family later turned over to law enforcement a wax fold of heroin. The investigation revealed that the victim likely purchased heroin from Lopez in Waterbury earlier that day.

Between July 5 and July 8, 2016, investigators made two controlled purchases of heroin from Lopez. Lopez was arrested on July 19, 2016. At the time of his arrest, he possessed 40 bags of heroin. A subsequent search of his residence revealed 150 bags of heroin, $1,600 in cash, a grinder, a digital scale, cutting agents, cellular telephones, and drug packaging material. On November 16, 2016, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.

This matter was investigated by the DEA’s New Haven Task Force, which includes DEA agents and task force officers from the North Haven, East Haven, West Haven, New Haven, Hamden, Branford, Ansonia, Derby, and Meriden Police Departments.